(CNN)– The perceived chaos surrounding the appointment to fill Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's Senate seat has taken a toll on New York's governor, according to a new poll.

New York Gov. David Paterson's approval rating has slipped 10 points over the last month, and now stands at 44 percent, according to a new survey conducted by Marist College.

Paterson - who assumed the governorship after Elliot Spitzer resigned the post - also trails New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg by six points, 47-41 percent, in a potential 2010 gubernatorial match-up. Paterson is also in a dead heat with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, should the onetime presidential candidate throw his hat into the ring. In earlier polls, Paterson held leads over both potential candidates.

Forty-six percent of New Yorkers approve of Paterson's decision to tap former Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand for Clinton’s old Senate seat, while 24 percent say he made the wrong choice.

The poll also suggests Gillibrand could face a tough 2010 race, depending on who Republicans field to run against her. While she easily bests GOP Rep. Peter King by 25 points, Gillibrand is locked in a dead heat with former New York Gov. George Pataki.

soundoff(75 Responses)

What a barnacle. He had everybody on his side after the SNL thing and now he picked someone no one knows anything about.

January 27, 2009 04:23 pm at 4:23 pm |

Stonewall, Florida

One of the greatest mistakes New Yorkers can make is to vote Rudy Giuliani the next governor of NY. If not Patterson, then Bloomberg, but for the sake of the Empire State, NOT Rudy.

January 27, 2009 04:27 pm at 4:27 pm |

Mark in SWNY

How nice to finally have a dem that doesn't think that NYC is the state of New York. Finally a person who just might represent the rest of the state!

This is one thing I can support Gov Patterson on.

January 27, 2009 04:28 pm at 4:28 pm |

The lonely Libertarian of Liverpool

Wow the first three posts are from Libertarians, I agree NYS can not find ways to cut spending, Gov. Patterson can only think of new ways to tax us.
freedom and Liberty are coming back to NYS.

January 27, 2009 04:30 pm at 4:30 pm |

Pro

NYC says NO to the guy.
Pro-gun hunteres say YES to the guy.
Who will win? NYC!!

January 27, 2009 04:31 pm at 4:31 pm |

CK4NYSenate2010

Paterson blew it in more ways than just his senate appointment fiasco. He managed to completely jumble up the only two decisions he's had to make as governor. He is a joke! He will definitely NOT get my vote in 2010!

January 27, 2009 04:32 pm at 4:32 pm |

Karen

Yeah, other candidates should definitely challenge Paterson in the next primary. I believe that NYorkers deserve some else. Candidates who are normally "appointed" to any position do not have majority support from the voters who have some foisted upon them. They would rather select someone of their choice. Same goes for the senators from NY and IL.

January 27, 2009 04:40 pm at 4:40 pm |

Disgusted New Yorker

Counting the days till my husband retires and we get leave this tax hell hole. Just today got my Form 1099-G (stating the amount of my NY State refund from last year) so that I can for the SECOND time pay taxes on it. Paid taxes on it when I made it (thru wages) now we'll pay taxes on it again cuz NY views it as income. LOLOLOL Sayonara New York...197 days and counting.

January 27, 2009 04:41 pm at 4:41 pm |

cnnnewser

He played cat and mouse for weeks in front of the TV cameras – he should have stayed behind the scenes instead of being a publicity hound.
AND, Caroline Kennedy was treated horribly, and that, we do not forgive.

January 27, 2009 04:43 pm at 4:43 pm |

jonnierae

He is a moron, caved to the Clintons, who would not allow Carolilne to take Hilary's seat. Period. We have a PUMA, opposed to Obama's policies, NRA poster girl, coming from a Republican district, which we will probably lose us a seat in the House. The rise of Giuliani, who probably can beat Patterson. Did I mention that Gillibrand will keep the seat warm in case Hil wants it back? We could have had Caroline Kennedy, but we get this Palin clone. Patterson dragged it out, left people swinging in the wind, made a stupid decision. I wish I were a New Yorker, so I could vote him out of office. Cuomo? I don't know, will he run in the primary against Patterson or Gill? Or like Mario, just fade away.

January 27, 2009 04:47 pm at 4:47 pm |

yellowdoggie

He's a dork.

January 27, 2009 04:50 pm at 4:50 pm |

Larry Houston TX

KEN..............why don't you go back to FOX News, where you belong ??

I do not think the process of naming the replacement Senator is what has damaged the Governor's popularity but rather it was his budget. Gov. Patterson needs to realize that we cannot tax our way out of an economic crisis.

January 27, 2009 04:58 pm at 4:58 pm |

dkr

PLEASE GOD WE NEED A FAT TAX!!!

FAX PEOPLE SHOULD PAY MORE!

January 27, 2009 05:12 pm at 5:12 pm |

Gracie

Governor Patterson is nothing but a liar and a joke. Anyone who knows him knows he's lied throughout his career. No surprise that his poll numbers are dropping. Americans are getting a taste of Patterson's true colors.

jonnierae, So it is better to have somebody with no experience like Caroline in the Senate? That mentality is far more scary then who is in the Senate seat.

January 27, 2009 05:39 pm at 5:39 pm |

Buckly

As a card-carrying liberal NY Dem, I don't care much for Patterson. I don't care if the NRA crybabies keep their guns as long as the economy is in good shape. Patterson's ideas on how to fix it are idiotic. If he runs again, I'd take a good hard look at the Republican nominee.

January 27, 2009 05:57 pm at 5:57 pm |

linda from South Dakota

when are these politicans goin to see what toll its takin on americans??????????? they should be limited to what they get after they retire( a minimal salary),,, they should be laid-off from their positions for 6 months with out pay and see how they function,,,,, lets try this for a bit and see what happens.... ummmm

January 27, 2009 06:04 pm at 6:04 pm |

Andy

I think people are not giving Patterson time to do his job here, though this poll was taken BEFORE his Gillibrand pick. Who knows what the numbers would say now. It bothers me how the media keeps reporting that Kennedy was the "front runner." According to who? Living here in upstate, we heard many possibilities, which all included Kennedy, Cuomo, and Gillibrand, just to mention a few. Whiile I don't always agree with Gillibrand (she's recently wavered on her gun control beliefs – she has stated the only thing she has publicly stated was her support of "hunters" – I think she's a gun Nazi myself – which is BAD news) I think his pick was a good choice overall. Her NY district is 2/3 Republican, but she BLEW away the Republican candidate in the last election (she got over 60% of the vote). It didn't help the opposing candidate (Sandy Treadwell, a male if you're curious) that he ran an UNBELIEVABLY negative campaign, which also happened to be THE most well-financed state senate campaign in the U.S. this past election. He had all the big wigs in the NY Republican party, and then some, behind him and he still lost, and lost BIG in a heavily Republican district. Still think Gillibrand was the wrong choice? Hmmmm. Perhaps she'll lose in a few years based on her (supposed) naive and dangerous gun control beliefs, but we'll see. But give Patterson a chance; it was a pretty smart pick.

January 27, 2009 06:08 pm at 6:08 pm |

Andy

By the way, Gillibrand is NO Palin clone. That's insulting jonnie. I'm from her district and I'm sure I know a lot more about her. Kennedy has no political experience, and quite frankly, made ALMOST as much of a fool of herself in interviews as did Palin. Granted, Palin actually IS an idiot, but it didn't help Kennedy that she herself just sounded like one :(

And btw, disguisted New Yorker, it doesn't say much about you that you misunderstand NY taxes. You have not been taxed twice; you weren't taxed enough the FIRST time which is why you have to pay taxes again. Duh. Maybe you SHOULD leave NY. Speaking as someone who has lived elsewhere (down south) where the taxes were less, I will take NY any day. I too think NY taxes are too high, but we get a lot more here that do southern states (and I won't comment on the people or crime either...the crime in the south is atrocious).

January 27, 2009 06:15 pm at 6:15 pm |

hello

paterson could have prevented all this chaos by not beating around the bush with his selection, he brought this mess on his self, and no i don't think he chose wisely.

January 27, 2009 06:22 pm at 6:22 pm |

Shawn

Just because Caroline Kennedy is an intelligent and thoughtful woman who comes from a family with a long political background, it doesn't mean that she's qualified to hold a position in the federal government. Besides, she would have been yet another senator who didn't represent the upstate area. The State of New York isn't just NYC, you know. Kirsten Gillibrand is the first upstate senator since Kenneth Keating was defeated over forty years ago, and looking at her record thus far, I certainly think that she's more qualified than Kennedy, and will represent this state well. However, what she does between now and the 2010 election will determine whether or not I vote for her to finish out Clinton's term.